Sabbatical Leave For Administrators And Professional/ Managerial Employees: 3.27

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

PURPOSE

This procedure establishes guidelines for administrators and professional/managerial employees to pursue professional development and renewal by formal or informal study to benefit both the College and the individual.

PROCEDURE

An eligible employee may request a sabbatical leave for professional development after six (6) years of continuous full-time regular employment at the College. The employee must have served a minimum of three (3) years in the appropriate category. After completing a sabbatical leave of absence, an employee will be ineligible for an additional sabbatical leave of absence for the next six (6) years. No more than one employee from each category may be granted at any one time.

An eligible employee seeking a sabbatical leave of absence from the College will adhere to the following guidelines:

1. LENGTH OF THE SABBATICAL LEAVE – An eligible employee may request a sabbatical leave of absence from assigned duties for a minimum of one (1) month, not to exceed six (6) months. If an employee is on an approved sabbatical leave they may submit a request for an extended sabbatical leave. The request for an extended leave must be approved by the President.
2. APPLICATION FOR SABBATICAL LEAVE –
   
   1. An Administrator who is a direct report to the President will submit the application for sabbatical leave to the Executive Director of Human Resources.
   2. Other Administrators will submit the application for sabbatical leave to the appropriate Cabinet member.
   3. Professional/managerial employees will submit the application through the appropriate chain of supervision up to the appropriate Cabinet member.
   4. Employees must submit the application ninety (90) days prior to the anticipated start of the sabbatical leave.
   5. The application will include the following items:
      
      1. A planned activities report that will describe the anticipated activities for the sabbatical leave period;
      2. A description of the professional benefits afforded to the individual and the College;
      3. The starting and ending dates of the Sabbatical Leave; and
      4. The name of the regionally accredited institution, organization, or location(s) where the employee plans to spend the sabbatical leave period.
3. CRITERIA AND RANKING - The Cabinet member will consider the following criteria:
   
   1. benefit to the College;
   2. benefit to the individual;
   3. priority for advanced study and work in occupational field;
   4. number of years of service to HCC;
   5. preference to those who have not previously received sabbatical leave;
   6. the ability to cover the assigned duties of the employee; and
   7. performance evaluations at or above "fully achieves standards" for an Administrator and "satisfactory" for a professional/managerial employee for the previous three evaluations.
       

   The Cabinet member will submit a recommendation to the Executive Director of Human Resources who in turn will verify eligibility and forward to the President.

4. BENEFITS WHILE ON A SABBATICAL LEAVE – An eligible employee will receive the following benefits:
   
   1. Three-fourths (3/4) of regular salary;
   2. The College's contributions on behalf of the employee to the retirement plan as appropriate; (Employees contemplating a sabbatical should contact the Benefits Office for an explanation of possible impact on retirement benefits.)
   3. The employee's current insurance benefits provided by the College;
   4. The employee's current voluntary benefits will be maintained through payroll deductions;
   5. An employee will continue the status of a full-time regular employee for determining length of service credits and fringe benefits.

   The following benefits are suspended while on sabbatical leave:

   1. Accrual of sick and vacation leave; and
   2. Tuition reimbursement.
5. REPORTS FOLLOWING A SABBATICAL LEAVE

   Within forty-five (45) days of returning from a Sabbatical Leave, the employee will submit a detailed written report outlining the activities performed, the perceived benefits to the employee and the value to the College. An administrator will submit the report to the President. The professional/managerial employee will submit the report to the Cabinet member. A copy of the report will be sent to the Executive Director of Human Resources.

   The employee must also submit a transcript for academic work completed during the sabbatical leave of absence if the course work is part of the planned activities.

6. SERVICE OBLIGATION –
   
   1. Following the completion of a six (6) month sabbatical leave, an employee must return to the College and serve for a minimum of one (1) year.
   2. If the employee fails to return or serve the required minimum of one (1) year, the employee must repay both the salary and the cost of all benefits awarded by the College during the sabbatical leave.

History:

Replaces Procedure 2.020, Sabbatical Leave for Administrators, dated April 28, 1997 and Procedure 2.022, Sabbatical Leave for Professional/Managerial Employees, dated May 7, 1996